If your ability to create (or do) is dependent on your need for inspiration, you’ll never fulfill your potential—especially not in today’s world.
Here’s why: distraction is the enemy of inspiration.
And if I had to pick just one word to describe the modern age we’re living in, I’d probably choose: “Distracted.”
Prior to the information explosion that came with the internet, modern gadgets, and social media—”waiting around” for inspiration was actually probably a great strategy.
Because here’s what I know about inspiration: it comes when I’m undistracted. It’s when I’m showering, staring at blank screens, meditating, walking my dog, driving, and/or sitting bored.
And “waiting around” prior to the information age probably consisted mostly of the things on that list. Today, however, “waiting around” consists mostly of… consuming distractions.
It never ceases to amaze me how quick I am to pull out my phone when I sit down in a public place alone—like when I’m waiting for my dinner party to arrive or when I’m waiting at the doctor’s office. The urge is almost unbearable.
And not just for me, but for the other phone-scrollers in the room. Or so it feels.
We’re addicted.
And because we’re addicted to distraction, we’re equally in conflict with inspiration.
This isn’t to say that we won’t get inspiration from the ocean of information that we consume—because we certainly may.
It is to say, however, that it isn’t being properly utilized. We need to do a better job of coming out of the ocean to regroup, reorganize, and reflect upon our findings.
Otherwise, we’ll continue flapping around, following treasure signs, and getting more and more lost at sea.